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Weddings are one of the most awaited moments in the lives of many. Birthdays happen every year but weddings, if you’re lucky enough, happens just once in a lifetime. So, in this case, every couple must be keen enough to pick not just the perfect place for the occasion and the RIGHT PEOPLE who will document this special affair. Nowadays, you will have plenty of options to choose from when looking for the best wedding photographers and videographers. But what really makes a good wedding photographer? When searching for one, you have to make sure that your photographer has these qualities:

Passion. Because you and your partner are full of passion, the people who shall capture those moments must share the same passion too. He should be full of passion and love for his job.

Dedication. Everyone can claim to be a good photographer, but only a few have the dedication to what they are doing. When we say dedication, he must be an expert on the task and he must be able to accomplish his duties despite the pressure he is getting from the wedding attendees.

Creative. Although your wedding venue is set with the beautiful scenario, the best wedding photographers must possess great creativity when capturing the highlights of your wedding. They must have a focus on the vision that pure bliss and love shared on that moment will become a recorded reality forever.

Patience. Oh yes, patience is a virtue. During weddings where crowds are sometimes uncontrollable, a very patient photographer is a MUST.

Story teller. Just from the shoot, the viewer can actually feel the emotions and understand the shared love of the couple. No captions needed. Just perfect shots. You know you have picked the best wedding photographers if his photos speak for themselves.

Knowledgeable. Even if these wedding photographers claim to be legit and well-experienced, you should also make sure that these people are aware of copyright laws and other legal issues concerning wedding photography. No copy cats in their editing of the photos. All should be original.

With that said, it will be easy for you to hunt for the best wedding photographers on your Big Day. Remember that in life, there is no rewind, no replays. So you should choose the one who will capture the best moment of your life the way it should be and the way you want it to be.

Concrete has had an underrated life due to misconceptions that it is a one dimensional, dreary colored bore. Fortunately, if that seems to be the case, it is only because of the architects lack of creativity, or their clients insistence on a standard blanket of color. Because truly, concrete has an endless amount of canvas space for ingenuity.

Let’s embark on the possibilities of concrete to blow your mind. Starting with the concepts from the Romans. History may bore the average person, but taking a look at one of the most dynamic pieces of architecture, we’ll look at the before-mentioned Pantheon in Rome, Italy:

This concrete wonder was made with tons of concrete, with a brick overlay. The interior dome, (pictured below) was completely made of concrete, although with differing ingredients to allow for a variance in weight. (Imagine being the window installation service that put that window in!)

This marvel captures thousands of tourists attention up to today.

Now that we’ve had a history lesson in the Roman architecture, we’ll take a journey into how this unexpected concept has influence modern day architects today.

Concrete has several versatile outputs depending on the architects creativity, or that of their clients. Try taking a look into some of the samples below of unexpected, and ingenious concepts of today:

Tubs like these can be customized to the size and fit of the person designing it. The rustic appearance is a great contrast for this particular home, and is just an indication of the concrete’s ability to create an eye-catching piece in any décor.
Advantages to tubs made with concrete allow for water to stay warmer longer. In addition, concrete, although appearing rough at times, has a stellar reputation for smoothness and gentleness on the inside of the tub. Pictured below is a more crisp representation of the polished interior, yet shining thorough to the exterior:

Concrete can be highlighted well in the right setting!

Concrete can also lend itself well to other unique customizations in décor. For example, the following picture is of a concrete sink in the shape of a marine animal called an ammonite:

This design of concrete is the epitome of unexpected concepts and designs. The natural dissention around in a spherical manner, combined with gravity, causes this to almost teeter on scientific. Either way, this is one intricate design of concrete!

This last example of concrete amazingness is not too often seen in everyday life. Being that unique uses of concrete isn’t in the average person’s everyday conversation, we can understand how gems like these can be overlooked.
But take a look at one example of how concrete was taken to another level:

Notice anything special about this picture?

In architecture, this is another level of revolutionary. This is translucent concrete! The shadows of trees that you see on that wall are truly silhouettes of what stands behind it!

This concept was brought about through adding a small percentage of light conducting ingredients, like optical fibers, and adding them to the mix during the casting process. Leaving you with the kind of bold and cinematic architecture, like the office picture below:

These are just a few examples of why individuals with vision and creativity will call on concrete installers to make it happen!

Concrete may not seem like a likely tool to be used in today’s architectural designs. It may seem like a cold, harsh, and even cumbersome approach to executing a design.

However, the dream of any architect is to not only deliver on execution of their design, but it is to revolutionize an idea and make it as unique and mind-blowing as possible. No one architect wants to hear the words: “That looks cool.” as the final say to their creativity. Pushing past the limits, and creating innovative structures is what mankind’s accomplishments are all about.

What makes concrete so innovative?

Without a bunch of boring, and random facts, in a long list of blanket knowledge, we’ll instead embark on a journey of architectural wonders, and arrive at the conclusion of why concrete is so innovative:

You walk onto a sleek driveway that appears to be almost like foggy glass at first glance. However, as you cruise to a stop, and open your car door, you find you’re delightfully greeted my a smooth, yet rustic surface. The rustic aspects catch you by surprise as you ponder over how smoothly your tires traversed over the seemingly rough terrain. The comfort of your stroll to the front door confirms that this is not your typical cobblestone pavement, or some other generic workings. Instead, you find that this creative wonder is concrete.

The use of exposed aggregate and polished concrete are becoming a piece of art in the driveways of many. The trustworthiness of the long lasting materials, as well as the contribution to the facelifts it can easily devote to aged or modern homes, is lending a classic appearance to home exteriors worldwide.

Concrete’s natural ability to appear to be other resources gives it a chameleon persona that no other resource can fabricate. To the eye, it can be highlighted as something far more extravagant than it’s price tag reveals.

Secondary to it’s several aesthetic appeals, is concrete’s flexibility for different designs. No homeowner, architect, or even landscaper likes to be left with no room for original design. When the inspiration to create a new design takes over, concrete is the most solid way, (pun intended) to accomplish the goal.

Imagine having a product similar to clay, being able to be molded into the design that you envision. With the correct concrete mixer, perfect water to cement ratios, and some imagination for design, concrete can show itself to be the greatest design canvas of all time. Check out some phenomenal ideas:
The gorgeous bright and rugged design makes for great curb appeal for the home!

This whimsical and unique pattern was executed with 6 inch deep slabs of concrete stone.

Creative designs like this contribute quite well to the value of the home!

The third most conquering feat of gorgeous concrete, is it’s room for originality and style. Like the latter picture above, when there is opportunity for creativity, the potential that concrete can have is endless. Concrete allows for stains and colors that can make for a more vibrant and glossy result. The use of identical or similar colors to the home makes for a bold statement as well.

Another great accomplishment of concrete, is it’s longevity. Driveways like the ones seen above are one of the most often uses of concrete, being that the average person leaves their home daily. Not factoring in children playing, or weathers affects on concrete. Because of that, the idea that concrete can last decades is not far from the truth at all.

Lastly, cost efficiency is always on anyone’s mind when it comes to investments. Being that concrete is the most customizable out of all other choices, such as tile, carpet, vinyl, linoleum, wood or marble, the cost will depend much on that. Concrete, though, is without a doubt the most cost efficient, unique, innovative, and inexpensive choice to make any driveway, home, or building stand the test of time!

In the world of architecture, the creative minds and hands are able to come alive. Thrusting different types of building materials onto a blank canvas, as if they are brush strokes with endless paint, is somewhat of a magical possibility. Yet, for an architect, it is a reality.

The Architect’s Paint Brush and Palette

The blueprints of an architects vision are just the beginning. The coming to realize the completion of the art in real life is the moment of truth that leaves everyone in bewilderment until the finished product is revealed.

The architects ‘paintbrush’ though, is one of many “colors”: Steel, wood, aluminum, and even plastic.

But there is one resource, one “color” that goes overlooked, and underestimated: Concrete.

This versatile tool has taken the world of architecture by subtle storm. Concrete is a diamond in the rough, therefore only having value to most after it’s been under pressure, and shined to perfection.

Concrete first shows it’s value in the fact that it is the most used man-made material in the world! It’s adaptable uses have given many countries functionality, such as roads, driveways, parking lots, and sidewalks. But even more fascinating is the fact that concrete has given us amazing architecture to explore, such as the international Art Centre, Nottingham Contemporary in the U.K. (highlighting lace in precast concrete) or the Church of the Light in Ibaraki, Japan.

Even from the times of the Romans, Concrete has been the color of the architects brush stroke for centuries onward. Using volcanic ash and a hydraulic-setting cement, Romans use of concrete made for it to be known as the most durable type of cement used. Not only that, but it also caused great architectural designs to still grace us today. For example, the Pantheon in Rome, Italy is one of the most solid concrete marvels of all time! Especially being that it is the largest un-reinforced concrete dome in the world! As of today, modern day architects are looking into some of the widespread benefits of using concrete, (like cost efficiency and minimized environmental footprint), architects today can learn of the best and most stunning techniques to execute their designs!

A Wondrous Material

The wonders of this underestimated material, as well as the impact of concrete on architecture today, deserves the exploration of any modern day architect, and others alike. The unexpected concepts, and trendy quirks that concrete can feature is nothing short of amazing. Highlighting the dramatic and bold or innovative and original architectural creations is easily accomplished through the use of concrete. And for those whose style is more cool and calm, or lean more towards tropical modernism… well, there’s something here for you too.
There are several ways that the use of this flexible, innovative resource can execute all of the above mentioned visions. What is more amazing, is that the use of concrete will enhance any architects to execute seemingly impossible designs, and with an eye-catching, original result.

Let the world of concrete come to life in your Architectural design, and the road to possibilities will be endless!